Dagenham man who stole a moped from Pizza Hut avoids jail
A pizza hut moped, similar to the one stolen by Stephen Cope in Dagenham - Credit: Archant
A 24-year-old man stole a moped from a takeaway pizza restaurant before flouting the conditions of his community order.
Stephen Cope broke into Pizza Hut in Valence Avenue, Dagenham, and made off with a moped used for deliveries.
He was caught after police matched blood found at the scene to his DNA.
Cope, who works as a fencer, then broke the conditions of a community order handed to him at an earlier hearing.
The resident of Victoria Road, Dagenham, claimed that the conditions were not compatible with his job, and that he had not been able to rearrange to complete the stipulated unpaid work outside his own contractual working hours.
He often left for work before 6am, and didn’t return until as late as 7pm, Barkingside Magistrates’ Court heard.
At a hearing on Friday, District Judge Gary Lucie handed Cope a 30-week sentence for burglary and breaking his community order, suspended for a year. He was also given a curfew from 8pm-5am.
